The second season of the TV anime " Frieren: Beyond Journey's End ," based on the manga by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe , currently serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday, will air on Nippon Television's Friday Anime Night (Fura-Ani) slot every Friday at 11 PM starting January 16, 2026. The manga has sold over 32 million copies, making it a huge hit. The first season of the anime aired on Fura-Ani from September 2023 to March 2024, garnering significant attention for its meticulous direction and beautiful visuals. Kitagawa Tomoya, who served as chief director for episodes 2 and 8 of the first season and the second cour of the series, will direct the second season, with Keiichiro Saito, who directed the first season, serving as assistant director. What will the second season bring with a new director? We spoke to Kitagawa, Saito, and series writer/scriptwriter Suzuki Tomohiro to find out.
◇What kind of support do you provide to the director?
--What is the division of roles between Kitagawa-san and Saito-san? How did you come to be part of this team?
Saito: When the first season ended, the question of what to do about season two came up, and since I had exhausted my energy in the first season, I wondered how I could bring "Frieren" to the world in an even stronger form. While I wanted to take a break from on-site involvement, I still wanted to contribute by sharing my know-how and knowledge, so I joined the project under the credit of assistant director. I am involved as an advisor, overseeing the script and storyboards and proposing revisions. I also take on other tasks as needed. For episode two of season two, I was in charge of some of the storyboards, and as a result, I have been involved in editing ever since. At first, I only intended to be involved in pre-production, but I ended up helping out a little with post-production as well.
-Why was Kitagawa chosen as director?
When we worked together on the first season, I felt that Kitagawa- san had solid ideas and techniques. Even during the first season, I was unable to keep up with the things that I should have been looking after, so I asked Kitagawa-san to help me out. I couldn't think of anyone else to ask, so I asked Kitagawa-san.
I am honestly happy to have been approached by Kitagawa-san as director, but I also feel some pressure being entrusted with a popular series. I am working hard on the production so that it will meet the expectations of viewers.
-Have you two worked together on other projects before?
I was once involved in the TV series "Sonny Boy" with Kitagawa-san as a storyboard artist and director. During that time, Saito-san participated in the key animation for one episode of the series, and we have continued to work together in a close relationship ever since.
--Are there many staff members who have been involved since the first season?
Kitagawa: That's right. We have many main staff members, such as art director, color designer, cinematographer, and editor, as well as directing and animation staff who continue to participate, so they are very reliable, and we also have some new members.
Mr. Saito is still being set up by Mr. Fukushi (animation producer Yuichiro Fukushi), and the strong members from the first season are demonstrating their full potential in the second season as well.
--Since we have the know-how from the first season, is there an increase in what we can do?
I think that's true for Saito-san . So when I watch it, I feel a bit envious (laughs). The parts that he wasn't able to fully express in the first season are now being fully displayed.
-How do you feel about it so far?
Starting with Kitagawa- san, the series composer and screenwriter Suzuki-san, the sound team, the cast, the animators, cinematographers, art directors, and many others, it's impossible to mention them all, but everyone is highly motivated and working hard to make a great production. I think it's going to be an interesting one.
◇The charm of words
-Kitagawa-san, what do you think is the appeal of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End," including the first season, and how are you trying to express it in the anime?
Kitagawa-san's original work is solid and interesting, so I'm always conscious of how I can express that interest when it's made into an anime. The anime script adds quite a few original elements, so I'm also thinking about how to express them in an interesting way. "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" is a work that depicts the complexity of human emotions, with what the characters say and what they actually think sometimes being slightly different. I'm directing while being conscious of how I can convey that when it's made into a video.
--What do you think of the "charm of words" in "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End"?
Suzuki: When I first read it, I got the impression that it was tranquil, and that the words were polite and delicate. The lines also sounded good when heard aloud. In the first season, the director placed importance on tranquility with a slow tempo, and I think that this pleasantness to the ear was emphasized. The contrast with the comedy was also striking.
Kitagawa's gags are also one of the charms of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End." The second season also shows that, but also expands on some parts. There's everyday life, comedy, and battles, and it's a work that has all the elements that everyone wants to see, and I feel it's rewarding because I can express all of them.
--The first season received a great response from overseas.
I wondered whether Saito's lyrical style would be universally accepted, but he managed to capture the emotional impact of this film. The film also has some flashy action scenes, so I think the balance was good.
Suzuki: It's hard to believe, but I'm really happy.
As Kitagawa-san said, I also felt that way, so I would like to keep that balance in mind in the second season as well.
To be continued in interview (2).
